Old School

Q: Jennifer: I have a question about marijuana and the use of it during pregnancy for nausea and morning sickness. What effects might it have on a baby?

A: Dr. Dean: It would be crazy for anyone to recommend it, but it is an herb. I suspect it is effective for morning sickness.

No one has done any real research on this. Most pharmaceuticals on the market have not been tested either. Researchers don't know about using most drugs during pregnancy, but they've tried many of them in certain animal models. They can make the statement based on the animal models that a substance does not seem to increase birth defects. Marijuana falls into that category; it has not been tested in a clinical trial. So I'd be very careful.

There may be an alternate to marijuana, though. Research has just come out on the anti-nausea properties of ginger. This herb has been used mainly on people on cruises as an anti-motion sickness drug. It does seem to be helpful for motion sickness in pregnant women.

Now, that doesn't mean we will not in the future develop forms of some method of delivery of marijuana molecules for morning sickness. But it's treacherous to use it without some research.

I've also got to tell you, a lot of women are doing it; they're taking the chance Â­- less chance, more chance than having a beer in pregnancy? I don't know. It's probably less. I mean, beer and cigarettes are a major cause problems of congenital problems in kids, major, yet no one bats an eyelash at this. Yet, the suggestion of a pregnant woman using marijuana, of course we all recoil. It's a funny thing. We're not consistent.